We are pleased to be working with researchers from The University of Roehampton and Anglia Ruskin University to develop an online automated musical assessment tool, based on the Sounds of Intent inclusive framework of musical development.

The pilot study builds on MMF’s ‘Mini Musicians’ classroom teaching programme and research study, which has been delivered in 14 Merton primary and special schools since January 2024.

‘EchoSing’ is a short interactive video resource which pupils are encouraged to engage with by singing back responses to sung passages. Gradually, over the course of the video, pupils learn to sing an entire song with passages increasing in complexity as the task progresses. We are delighted to confirm a succesful appliction to Sempre for funding to help develop the software which will listen to and interpret children’s musical responses and map this against the levels of the Sounds of Intent framework.

This tool, once developed, will be made freely available to all schools, music services, Hubs and other practitioners in order to support improved baseline and impact assessment in music education.

For more information about the project, please contact Merton Music Foundation: admin@mmf.org.uk / 020 8640 5446